1. Technical Field
The present inventive concept relates to semiconductor storage devices configured to store data in a semiconductor memory and, more particularly, to a method for adjusting the guaranteed lifetime of a storage device including a semiconductor memory and a semiconductor storage device therefor.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Among nonvolatile memories, a flash memory collectively processes data of its memory cells. For at least this reason, flash memories are widely used in computers, solid state drives/disks (SSDs), memory cards, and so forth.
Flash memories are increasingly employed in semiconductor storage devices used by portable information devices such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and digital cameras.
Due to the endurance limit of a storage device, a semiconductor storage device including the storage device has a predetermined lifetime in which normal operation is guaranteed.
However, if an excessive workload is applied to a storage device, a semiconductor storage device including the storage device may not satisfy its guaranteed lifetime. For example, when a program-erase cycle (PE-cycle) is excessively performed on one block of a flash memory (e.g., a storage device) for a certain time, the lifetime of a semiconductor storage device including the storage device may be reduced due to the endurance limit of the block. Moreover, when an excessive workload is applied to the storage device, a large number of run-time bad blocks may be unexpectedly generated. Therefore, the actual lifetime of the semiconductor storage device may be less than its guaranteed lifetime.